Bagerhat: Fishermen are once again under 22 restrictions to protect mother hilsa. During this period, hilsa extraction, transportation, storage and sale in the sea and river will be prohibited.
The ban will start from the first hour of Sunday (October 13) and will end on November 3.
According to the notification, this Saturday (October 12) is the last day for the sale and purchase of hilsa. On the last day, consumers thronged KB Bazar in Bagerhat, one of the largest marine fish landing centers in the southern region, to buy hilsa. This place was crowded from dawn to dusk. All types of sea fish including hilsa are being sold at high prices. As the consumers are angry because the prices are high on the last day, there is no smile on the faces of fishermen and traders because of less fish.
Around 11 o'clock, it can be seen in the KB market, hilsa is being sold at Tk 2200 to Tk 2400 per kg of weight. Hilsa weighing 500 grams is Tk 14-1500, hilsa weighing 5-7 kg is being sold at the rate of Tk 600 to 800 per kg in open auction. A few days ago, 1300 to 1500 taka per kg, 800 to 1000 taka of 500 gram hilsa and 400 to 500 taka per kg of hilsa at 5-7 am were sold in different markets of Bagerhat. Many people can be seen selling fish on the city defense embankment road next to the market.
Not only Hilsa but also other fish prices were higher than the budget of ordinary buyers. All types of fish including Dhela Chela, Chapila, Tular Dati, Rupchanda, Kankan, Med, Mochan Gagra, Sagar Baila, Laitta were sold at higher prices. The owners of the trawler claim that the desired fish is not available in the sea, and the amount of fish is less than the demand of the buyers, so they have to sell it at a higher price.
Owner of the trawler, Ruhul Amin of Baga area of Kochua said that the sea blockade has started from tomorrow. I didn't get any fish this time. What I got, I have to sell at a higher price. Even after selling at a higher price, it is not possible to say whether the cost will rise properly.
A buyer named Zahidul Islam said, I heard through miking that the sale of hilsa has been stopped since yesterday. So I come early in the morning to buy fish. I thought the price would be lower. But the price is much higher than the retail market.
A fish trader named Hafizur Rahman said, two-three days a week, we buy fish from here and sell it retail at various places including Kachua, Badal, Signboard. It will be very difficult to sell fish to retail buyers at the price I bought today.
Sheikh Abed Ali, president of KB Bazar Matsya Artaddar Samiti said, this time the fishermen did not get much fish in the sea. Many fishermen will not be able to afford it. And compared to the amount of fish on the last day in previous years, there is not even 10 percent fish. And at the end everyone wants to buy fish, so the price is high. This trader said that fish buying and selling will continue till 12 o'clock at night.
Meanwhile, fishing trawlers from the Bay of Bengal are coming to the locality due to the news of the ban. Some have taken up residence on the Bhairav River adjacent to KB Bazar. Some have reached their destination.
Bagerhat District Fisheries Officer ASM Russell said that hilsa fishing will be prohibited from October 13 to November 3 midnight in Pasur and Baleshwar rivers to protect mother hilsa. Along with this, fishing by big boats or engine driven boats will also be under this ban in the river canals inside the Sundarbans. The Coast Guard, Naval Police and Navy will work along with the officials of the Department of Fisheries Extension to implement the ban. To expedite this work, the leave of the officers and employees of the Fisheries Department has been cancelled.
Our patrol will be strong day and night to enforce the ban. At the same time, government assistance was also given to the fishermen.
Bangladesh Time: 0129 hours, October 13, 2024
RA
